1. CHOOSING THE RIGHT
OPTIONS FOR PROBLEM
PROPERTIES
ALAN MALLACH
CENTER FOR COMMUNITY PROGRESS
NJ FUTURE
2014 REDEVELOPMENT FORUM

2. VACANT PROPERTIES ARE
A GROWING PROBLEM
0.00%
2.00%
4.00%
6.00%
8.00%
10.00%
12.00%
14.00%
16.00%
Newark East Orange Trenton Paterson Jersey City
2000
2010

3. NEWARK AREA 2011

4. TRENTON 2011

5. VACANT PROPERTY
IMAGES
Paterson
Trenton

6. VACANT PROPERTY
IMAGES
Newark
Camden

7. HOW DO YOU ADDRESS YOUR COMMUNITY’S
PROBLEM PROPERTY ISSUES?
Understand the issue: problem
properties are not just about the
property – they are part of the larger
economic and social dynamics
affecting the neighborhood and the
city
Think strategically: There is no single
‘magic bullet’, and no quick fix, to the
issue of problem properties.

8. NINE ELEMENTS OF A VACANT
PROPERTY STRATEGY
1. Information
2. Regulation
3. Strategic
acquisition
4. Land banking
5. Partnering with
developers
6. Encouraging
home buyers
7. Strategic
demolition
8. Encouraging
green reuse of
vacant land
9. Building
community
partnerships

9. INFORMATION
• Know the market
• Know the property
inventory
• Know the players

10. REGULATION
• Enact vacant property registration ordinances
• Use code enforcement strategically
• Use nuisance abatement when owners are
unwilling to maintain their properties
• Use the Creditor
Responsibility Law to
deal with properties in
foreclosure process

11. STRATEGIC
ACQUISITION
• Create a municipal abandoned property
list
• Use tax foreclosure as a strategic tool
• Use spot blight eminent
domain
• Have an acquisition
strategy – make limited
resources count

12. LAND BANKING
• Build the capacity in local government to
acquire, hold and systematically dispose of
properties
• Maintain publicly-owned properties so they
do not become a nuisance to neighbors.
• Don’t be afraid to hold
properties in inventory
in order to make
possible better reuse
in the future

13. PARTNERING WITH
DEVELOPERS
• Make reuse and redevelopment user-friendly
• Build city capacity to assemble parcels for
reuse
• Make all city approvals timely and efficient
• Provide incentives where necessary
• Link redevelopment to other community
improvements

14. ENCOURAGE HOME
BUYERS
• Create home buying & rehab support system
• Speed permitting and approvals
• Provide incentives where necessary
• Focus on target
neighborhoods for
selective vacant
property rehab
initiatives

15. STRATEGIC
DEMOLITION
• Make demolition part of a larger vacant property
strategy
• Target demolition resources to create reuse
opportunities and
stabilize at-risk
neighborhoods

16. ENCOURAGE GREEN
REUSE
• Many vacant lots, particularly in weak market
areas, are not suitable for redevelopment
• Create menu of green reuse alternatives
• Partner with homeowners, neighborhood
groups and CDCs to
get properties used
for side lots,
community gardens
and other green
options.

17. BUILD COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIPS
• Cities can’t do it by themselves – not
enough capacity or money
• Neighborhood associations and CDCs
are natural allies for city government –
they care about their communities
• Make everybody a partner in the process
of tackling the community’s problem
properties.